‘ Out of control’ teen says sorry
THE 17- year- old driver of a stolen car which caused a car crash on the Bruce Highway last year, badly injuring three people, has apologised while being sentenced to jail.
The letter of apology was partially read yesterday to the Townsville District Court, where he was sentenced to three years’ jail.
“I was out of control … it might look like I don’t feel sorry but I am,” he wrote.
THE teenage boy who caused a horrific Bruce Highway crash that severely injured three elderly people penned a letter asking for forgiveness before being jailed.
The 17- year- old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced in Townsville District Court yesterday.
He was speeding along the Bruce Highway in a stolen car on December 22 last year when he ploughed into the back of another car, causing both vehicles to roll.
In a letter of apology, partially read to the court, the defendant admitted he was “out of control”.
The court heard the boy had been brought before a court on 20 separate occasions, including twice for unlicensed driving.
“Though it might look foolish for me to be asking for forgiveness and it may be hard to forgive, I would be thankful to get forgiveness and I regret it every day that they had to suffer the pain, when I should have been the one to get hurt,” he wrote.
“I was out of control … it might look like I don’t feel sorry but I am. Every day I think about how stupid I am for hopping in that car and robbing that shop, it was the biggest mistake I made, I wish I could take it all back.”
Bruce and Lidia Nowak were travelling with Ross Girgenti when the stolen car smashed into the back of their vehicle. The defendant and his passenger jumped into another stolen car that they had been following and fled the scene while emergency services rushed to the crash site.
Mr Nowak and Mr Girgenti both suffered spinal injuries which, doctors said, if left untreated could have resulted in death. Mrs Nowak suffered a significant wrist injury and all three suffered a number of other contusions and fractures.
Victim impact statements revealed the three now lived in constant pain.
Mr Girgenti wrote that he had to wear a neck brace for up to eight hours each day and Mr and Mrs Nowak said they had lost their independence and had to move in with family members.
“Mr Nowak said he would give anything to have his life as it was before the accident,” Judge Greg Lynham said.
“But with what his body is going through, and what he’s still going through, he fears things will never be the same again.”
Judge Lynham said the other youth in the car at the time of the crash told police the vehicle was travelling at up to 200km/ h.
The youth was also sentenced in relation to an armed robbery, where he wielded a pair of scissors and threatened to kill a bottle- shop attendant before stealing cash.
Judge Lynham said many factors had to be taken into account to reach a sentence, including the defendant’s plea of guilty, injuries to the victims, and the boy’s criminal history.
Judge Lynham said the Youth Justice Act made it clear that sentencing a child to imprisonment should be a last resort and a youth should be sentenced for the least time that is justified.
The boy was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and will be eligible for release after serving 60 per cent of his sentence.
I WAS OUT OF CONTROL … IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE I DON’T FEEL SORRY BUT I AM TEENAGE DRIVER OF STOLEN CAR WHO CAUSED ACCIDENT